Chapter 154: A wild and crazy sports festival (2)

In Anatolia, there are exactly two days a year when outsiders are allowed to enter: the early summer sports festival and the late autumn cultural festival.

Of course, since this is a place where royalty resides, not just anyone can enter.

The only outsiders permitted are the students’ families, and even they must undergo strict verification before being allowed inside.

Visitors from afar are not even provided with accommodations.

They must find lodging in the city on their own or resort to sleeping on the streets.

It is truly an unwelcoming place.

However, for those willing to endure such inconveniences, Anatolia offers attractions worth the trouble.

The school grounds are filled with luxurious facilities, and visitors can catch glimpses of dignitaries from all over the world, whom they have only heard about in rumors.

There are also exquisite delicacies that delight both the eyes and the palate.

Even though the students’ level of competition might make the main events somewhat less thrilling, the sense of immediacy and engagement more than makes up for it.

That is why, whenever the sports or cultural festivals take place, people from far away willingly spend large sums of money to travel to Anatolia.

Commoners endure bumpy carriage rides, while nobles arrive in lavish airships or even teleportation circles.

This year was no exception.

“Lancia~! My adorable daughter! Have you been well?”

“Ah, Father!”

Upon seeing the familiar figure, Lancia’s face lit up with joy.

She immediately ran toward her father with excited steps and embraced him.

Her father, Duke Zigma de Granfil, smiled warmly at his daughter’s enthusiastic welcome.

“My, my, look at you! You’ve grown so much since I last saw you. How long has it been since I sent you to school? You’re already a fine young lady!

So, have your sword skills improved a lot?”

“Of course, Father! I bet I could even take one of your serious strikes now!”

“Really? You shouldn’t make such bold claims in front of me…”

Zigma smirked mischievously.

“Well then, how about we have a good old-fashioned spar in the garden after the festival? Just like the old days?”

“I’d love to! I’m ready anytime!”

Lancia beamed brightly as she responded.

There is an old saying: Blood never lies.

Although the two looked nothing alike—Lancia a radiant black-haired beauty and Zigma a scruffy, bearded middle-aged man—their essence was completely the same.

They were both sword-obsessed eccentrics who lived and breathed the blade.

Truly, like father, like daughter.

Walking beside them, King Gasantius of Salem let out a sigh.

“You’re trying to cause unnecessary trouble again, Duke Granfil.

I beg you, please behave yourself and avoid any disturbances. Have you forgotten that this is a neutral zone?”

“Oh, Your Majesty, what are you saying?”

Zigma widened his eyes, feigning hurt.

“Have you already forgotten the days when we used to duel with wooden swords in this very schoolyard? Acting all dignified now feels a little unfair, don’t you think?”

“That was in our childhood. You should have matured by now, considering your age.”

“A man’s heart remains youthful no matter how much time passes. Especially when he’s spending time with the most beautiful princess in the world.”

Zigma chuckled and looked at Lancia, who cheerfully replied, “Yes!” as she hugged her father tightly.

A rare sight in these times—a truly affectionate father-daughter relationship.

“……..”

For a brief moment, an unfamiliar emotion flickered in Gasantius’ eyes.

A trace of envy at the closeness between the two.

And then—

“Father~~~!!”

From a distance, a voice called out, and a pink-haired girl with twin tails came running toward them.

Her hair fluttered wildly in the wind.

Upon hearing that lively voice, Gasantius’ expression immediately softened.

He turned with a faint smile.

“Ah, Isabella. You haven’t caused any trouble while I was—”

“Die!!!”

“?!?”

With a sudden tackle, Isabella crashed into him, making his massive frame stagger.

Though he didn’t fall over thanks to their significant size difference, he had to take a few steps back to regain his balance.

Gasantius looked down at his daughter with an uncharacteristically flustered expression.

“W-What are you doing? Attacking your own father out of nowhere—have you lost your mind, Isabella?”

“Lost my mind? Lost my miiind?! After what you did to me, you still have the audacity to say that?!”

“What are you talking about? What did I do?”

He hadn’t even seen her in the past three months—he had been busy with state affairs while she was focused on her studies.

But Isabella pounded her chest in frustration, looking utterly indignant.

“Oh, just look at this! He’s completely forgotten! Is this what they mean when they say perpetrators never remember their crimes?!”

“Stop being vague and explain properly. I don’t recall doing anything to upset you.”

“Oh, you don’t? You’ve been lying to me for nearly ten years!”

Isabella jabbed a finger at him, fuming.

“You told me that babies are born when a man and a woman sleep in the same bed while holding hands! My tutor taught me the same thing when I was little, so I believed it my whole life!

Because of that, I completely missed my chance and made a fool of myself! Do you think I wouldn’t be furious?!”

“….!”

Gasantius inhaled sharply.

Was he shocked that his daughter had found out the truth?

No. He had always known that sending her to a school full of peers would eventually lead to her discovering it.

The problem was a particular phrase she had just used.

His expression turned dark as he narrowed his eyes.

“‘Missed your chance’…? What exactly did you do at school?”

“Ugh…!”

Now, it was Isabella’s turn to shrink back. Cold sweat formed on her forehead as she avoided his gaze.

“N-Nothing much… Just… something that could have happened…”

“And what exactly is that supposed to mean?!

Who was it?! Bring him to me this instant!”

“I-It’s nothing you need to worry about! It’s all in the past, so it doesn’t matter anymore!”

“Don’t be ridiculous! Before sending you to that school, I told you countless times:

I don’t expect you to be a model hero, but at the very least, you should maintain the dignity of a princess!

And now you’re telling me you’ve been fooling around with some man? You reckless little brat!”

“I told you, it’s a misunderstanding!! ‘Fooling around with a man’—what a ridiculous accusation!

I’ve always been devoted to Sister Sion, and I still am—”

Their argument was abruptly cut short. A sudden wave of energy swept through the entire school.

Both of them froze mid-fight, their heads snapping up in alarm.

Boom!

It sounded as if something massive had just fallen. Or perhaps, it was their own hearts that had dropped.

The presence was so overwhelming that, for a moment, everyone felt as if they were suffocating under its sheer weight.

Zigma smirked as he muttered,

“Well, well. I thought Sanchina was too busy this year to attend, but it seems she decided to make a grand entrance after all.”

“Not even a mere king, but someone far above that level.”

A fierce competitive spirit flickered in Zigma’s eyes as he spoke. His pride, tied to the title of “Greatest Swordsman on the Continent,” roared in response to the emergence of a formidable opponent.

“I was thinking of going to ask for a lesson. Would that be alright, Your Majesty?”

“Don’t even think about it. Unless you want to cause a diplomatic incident.”

Gasantius sternly restrained his vassal, his expression hardened.

At this moment, the trivial quarrel with his daughter had already been pushed far down his list of priorities.

And it wasn’t just Gasantius—everyone present felt the same.

Just moments ago, they had each been occupied with their own affairs, but now, all eyes were fixed on the source of the disturbance, an unspoken tension gripping the air.

Even those completely ignorant of combat could sense it.

The arrival of an absolute being—one beyond mortal control.

Clip-clop. Clip-clop…

As all attention converged, a single carriage glided silently onto the academy grounds, stopping eerily like a ghost in the empty parking area.

The coachman dismounted, walked to the passenger door, and opened it with a stiff expression.

“Please step out, my Lord.”

A heavy silence followed.

Then, from the darkness beyond the door, a pale silhouette slowly emerged. “It” stepped out of the carriage with an air of solemnity, its footsteps befitting the eerie stillness.

Sunlight poured down onto the new arrival—

“It’s been quite some time since I last visited this academy.”

And beneath that sun, a figure burned even more vividly—flaming red hair.

Hypnotic violet eyes, lips curled into a decadent smile. Asymmetrical horns—one long, one short.

A tail swaying temptingly behind her.

She was clad in a form-fitting white restraint suit, seemingly designed to suppress her, yet rather than diminishing her charm, it only further accentuated her voluptuous figure.

Just by standing there, she could ignite the carnal desires of any who gazed upon her.

The pinnacle of all succubi.

A living legend infused with mana itself.

Former Commander of the Lust Legion of the Demon King’s army—Nelia Whitevine.

“Haaah…”

She closed her eyes momentarily, taking a deep breath as if savoring the air, then slowly flicked her tongue and murmured,

“The air here is lovely. That intoxicating scent of spring, swirling with youthful energy…
This place never fails to make my heart race.”

Anyone familiar with Nelia’s inclinations would have rolled their eyes and clicked their tongue at her theatrics.

However, no one here was privy to her private tastes.

Instead, the onlookers simply gulped nervously, keeping their eyes locked on her.

Nelia Whitevine, the former Lust Legion Commander, was often depicted as something of a comedic character in the chronicles of Hero Lier.

During her first appearance, she had exuded overwhelming menace, nearly annihilating the hero’s party.

But that was as far as her success went.

A series of misfortunes had caused her to let them escape, and later, she became a recurring victim of power creep, constantly suffering defeat after defeat.

Unluckily, her abilities were poorly matched against her opponents.

Her primary power—charm—was ineffective against a party containing a Hero and a Saint.

And as for raw combat strength, a one-versus-five battle was simply too much, even for her.

As a result, Nelia’s later appearances followed a predictable pattern:

Using charm and disguise to operate in the shadows → Getting exposed by the hero’s party → Getting beaten and fleeing.

This trope became so repetitive that, toward the end, they didn’t even bother fighting her.

Once, she simply sat and chatted with Saint Esther, the two bonding so well that they even swore sisterhood—a legendary comedic episode still fondly remembered.

Due to these humiliating moments and the fact that she was the only Legion Commander to defect to Elpidion after the war, Nelia had long been underestimated by the public.

Rumors spread that she was the weakest of the Seven Commanders, that her personal combat ability was below even a low-ranking officer, that she relied solely on charm and was useless if it failed.

This perception existed even during her time.

Some had underestimated her so much that they brazenly invaded her territory.

Back when Sanchina was little more than an autonomous province, a neighboring kingdom had found an excuse to attack—officially under the pretense of “purging pureblood demons,” but in truth, it was nothing more than an act of petty vengeance.

At the time, Sanchina’s only line of defense was Nelia herself.

The invading knights scoffed—what could one lone succubus possibly do against an entire knight order?

The next morning, their answer came in the most horrific way imaginable.

Some were found stark naked, parading through the streets in ecstasy.

Others had spent the night passionately embracing their beloved warhorses.

The lone female knight had tied herself up in public, wearing a sign that read “Use Me Freely,” while five of her male comrades huddled together, sharing “brotherly love” in ways words could not describe.

And those were merely the lucky ones—the lowest-ranking knights who had received the mildest punishment.

As for those of higher rank… well, the aftermath spoke for itself.

By the time the charm wore off, they all took their own lives in sheer horror.

From that day forward, people learned a harsh lesson: No matter how ridiculous she seemed, a Legion Commander was still a Legion Commander.

They came to understand—controlling one’s lust, or even one’s emotions, was an overwhelmingly terrifying power.

Thus, Nelia’s name transformed from a laughingstock to a figure of reverence.

“Heh… What’s this? Is everyone scared?”

Nelia chuckled as she observed the terrified crowd.

She lightly waved her arms—still bound in her restraint suit—and reassured them,

“No need to worry. As you can see, I’m in this state.

Even if I wanted to harm you, I couldn’t. So relax, alright?”

“……..”

Of course, no one was truly reassured.

Everyone knew that a Legion Commander could rip through a restraint suit as easily as tearing paper.

That outfit was nothing more than a performance—an illusion to feign harmlessness.

As the onlookers remained frozen in place, Nelia tilted her head in feigned innocence.

“I’m not lying, you know……I really did just come to watch. No need to be so stiff.
Well, whether you believe me or not is up to you…”

Shrugging, she stopped paying attention to the spectators and turned her focus to her true purpose.

Scanning her surroundings, she soon spotted something in the distance—

A group of cheerleaders, huddled together in bunny-girl outfits.

Nelia’s lips curled into a sly grin.

“Ahhh, coming here was definitely the right call.

A live, group bunny-girl cheerleading performance? No way I’d miss that.

Kids these days sure are bold, huh? Wearing something so daring and performing in public—”

Her gleeful ogling was suddenly interrupted.

Within that group, she saw someone she never expected to find.

A figure just as shocked, sweating bullets while staring straight back at her.

The Demon Lord himself.

-“What are you doing here?”

A telepathic message entered her mind. Still stunned, Nelia replied,

-“What do you mean? My 18th-generation descendant just enrolled, so I came to watch the sports festival.
What about you?”

-“Well, I—uh, due to certain circumstances, I ended up… with the cheer squad.”

-“…Wearing a bunny-girl outfit, Your Majesty?”

-“I-It happens! It’s the standard team uniform, what do you expect?!

And you? What’s with that ridiculous restraint suit?”

-“Oh, this? My family locked me in it to prevent me from losing control and devouring students. They threatened to imprison me in a tower forever if I so much as touched one.”

-“..And you just accepted that?”

-“Didn’t really have a choice. They wouldn’t let me out otherwise.”

-“……..”

-“……..”

The two locked eyes in silence.

Then, without a word, they both nodded.

‘Let’s just not talk about it.’

A miraculous agreement was reached.